Safety-belt buckle

ABSTRACT

A safety-belt buckle comprising first and second parts adapted to slide relative to one another. The first part called a catch casing includes an opening for receiving the nose of a latch in the closed position of the buckle. The second part includes a socalled latch support plate on which thh latch is pivotally mounted. A lever is provided for the actuation of the buckle and is pivotally connected to the latch against the action of spring carried by the latch support plate and urging the latch to its closed position. The lever has a pivot formed by an edge disposed between its mounting on the latch and its free end, the buckle being therefore capable of being opened by upward, downward or translatory movement of the actuating lever.

Fieni SAFETY-BELT BUCKLE [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: Societe Anonyme Francaise Du Ferodo, Paris, France [22]Filed: June 2, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 149,206

Walter Fieni, Paris, France [52] US. Cl. 24/230 A, 24/230 AK, 297/388[51] Int. Cl A44b 11/26 [58] Field of Search..... 24/230 A, 230 AP, 230AV; 297/384-388 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,427,6942/1969 Bullock 24/230 A 3,579,750 5/1971 Carbon 24/230 A 3,693,2219/1972 Cunningham..' 24/230 A 3,153,270 10/1964 Lindblad 24/230 AK3,131,446 5/1964 Davis 24/230 A 3,255,502 6/1966 Hol1ins.-; 24/230 A X2,876,516 3/1959 Cummings 24/230 A X 2,893,088 7/1959 Harper et a1;24/230 A X 1,466,975 9/1923 Toelcke et al. 24/230 A 3,075,270 1/1963Elsner 24/230 A Apr. 30, 1974 FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,394,6030/1965 France 24/230 AK 254,676 8/1927 Italy 24/230 A PrimaryExaminer-Paul R. Gilliam I Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Waters Roditi,Schwartz Nissen [57] ABSTRACT A safety-belt buckle comprising first andsecond parts adapted to slide relative to one another. The first partcalleda catch casing includes an opening for receiving the nose of alatch in the closed position of the buckle. The second part includes aso-called latch support plate on which thh latch is pivotally mounted. Alever is provided for the actuation of the buckle and is pivotallyconnected to the latch against the action of spring carried by the latchsupport plate and urging the latch to its closed position. The lever hasa pivot formed by an edge disposed between its mounting on the latch andits free end, the buckle being therefore capable of being opened byupward, downward or translatory movement of the actuating lever.

4 Claims, 26 Drawing Figures @MENTEDAPR 3 0 I974 SHEET 1 [1F 6 figLSAFETY-BELT BUCKLE The present invention concerns a buckle forsafetybelts, having two parts adapted to slide in each other. A firstbuckle part or catch casing has an opening in which the nose of a latchcarried by the second buckle part is engaged in a closed position, thelatch being pivotally mounted about an edge on a latch support platecarried by the second part. The operation of the buckle is controlled bymeans of a lever pivoted on the latch against the action of a springcarried by the latch support plate, urging the latch to its closedposition.

Safety-belt buckles must satisfy numerous conditions amongst which oneof the most important is the ease of opening. Indeed it is essential inthe case of emergency that the buckle be able to be opened withoutdifficulty.

However, there exists various types of buckles that are distinguishedfrom one another by their opening operation and as a result, in a caseof emergency, notably when the buckle must be opened by a person whodoes not know the opening operation, unsuccessful attempts may occurbefore the effective opening, which under certain circumstances couldhave serious consequences.

The safety-belt buckle according to the present invention overcomes thisdifficulty. In fact this buckle can be opened by one or more of aplurality of modes of actuation such that its opening is effectedimmediately by any person.

The buckle according to the present invention consists in a buckle ofthe above mentioned type in which there is provided for the lever apivoting edge between its mounting on the latch and its actuating freeend.

The opening of the buckle can therefore be obtained by either lifting ordepressing the lever.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the lever ispivotally mounted on the latch by means of a pivot pin carried thereonand which cooperates with at least one inclined surface provided on thelever such that translatory movement of said lever relative to thebuckle body also effects the release of the latch, thus opening thebuckle.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the buckleaccording to the invention, the buckle part carrying the latch comprisesa casing fixed to the latch support plate covering the actuating leverwhose end remote from the pivoting end on the latch faces an opening inthe casing, whereby by exerting pressure on the portion of the lever inline with the said opening in the manner of actuating a push button, theopening of the buckle is effected.

The description which follows is made by way of example with referenceto the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan view of onebuckle part FIG. 2 is an end view of the buckle part shown in FIG. 1

FIG. 3'is a plan view of the other buckle part carrying the latch FIG. 4is a corresponding end view FIG. Sis a plan view of the buckle accordingto the invention in its closed position FIG. 6 is a view in sectionalong the line 6-6 of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 but in the open position theopening is effected by a different actuating movement FIG. 9 is a viewsimilar to the two preceding views but wherein the opening is effectedby still another actuating movement FIG. 10 is a view similar to thethree preceding views but wherein the opening is effected by yet anotheractuating movement FIG. 11 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6 but foran alternative embodiment FIG. 12 is a view similar to that of FIG. 6but for a further alternative embodiment FIG. 13 is a partial schematicview of a lever according to a modified embodiment FIG. 14 is a viewsimilar to that of FIG. 13 but for another modified embodiment FIG. 15is a view in longitudinal section of a buckle part carrying the latch ofthe buckle, for a further embodiment FIG. 16 is a top view partly insection and partly in elevation FIG. 17 is a partialview similar to thatof FIG. 15 showing the two parts of the buckle in the closed positionFIG. 18 is a half top view corresponding to that of FIG. 17 andpartially cut away FIG. 19 is a view similar to that of FIG. 17 but forthe open position FIG. 20 is a top view of a buckle actuating member;

FIG. 21 is a view in section along line 2l-2l in FIG. 20

FIG. 22 is a top view of a plate carrying the latch of a buckle alongthe lone 25-25 of The safety-belt buckle comprises a first part ormember 11 (FIG. 1), hereinafter referred to as the catch casing, beinggenerally rectangular and U-shaped in cross-section (FIG. 2), and havinga base 12 including an aperture 13 for receiving a strap and arms 14 and15 having flanges 17 and 18 extending inwardly. The base 12 between aninterior edge 16 of the buckle member and the aperture 13 includes anopening 19 for receiving a nose 20 of a latch 21 (FIG. 6).

The latch is a solid block having a generally rectangular shape (FIGS. 3and 6) with two lateral longitudinal faces 22 and 23 and an upper face24. The nose 20 is limited by a front face 25, an oblique face 26 and arear face 27 defining with the face 26 a flat 28. The latch has a rearface 29. I

The rear portion of the latch 21 is formed as a shank with a projection30 by which the latch is pivotally mounted on a base 31 of a plate 32(FIGS. 3,4 and 6) of a second buckle part or member 33, hereinafterreferred to as a latch support plate, a leaf spring 34 being engagedbetween a rear face 35 of the rear portion 29 and an edge 36 of anaperture 38 in the plate 32 and being hooked by its end 39 on an edge 40of a slot 41 provided for receiving a strap.

At the interconnection between the front face 25 of the latch 21 and theupper face 24, the latch has a seating portion 43 for a pin 44 whichextends at both its ends beyond the lateral faces 22 and 23. The saidends are received in slots 45 and 46 provided in lateral faces 49 and 50(FIG. 4) of alever or control member 51 formed as a shell.

The slot 45 (FIG. 6) has a generally triangular shape with an upper side52 substantially parallel to the upper surface of the lever 51 and twooblique sides 54 and 55 meeting each other at an apex 56 of thetriangle. An upper wall 53 of the lever 51 has from a forward wall 59, aplanar portion 57 substantially perpendicular to the said forward walland continues as an oblique portion 58 making an obtuse angle with theportion 57.

Each lateral wall 49, 50 of the lever is limited by a lower side 61(FIG. 7) parallel to the upper face 53 only along part of length of thelever but up to a point 62, the said lower side is extended by anupwardly extending oblique portion 63 until it reaches a rear face 64.

Starting from the closed position shown in FIG. 6 the normal actuationof the lever 51 includes grasping its rear portion and exerting a forcein the direction of the arrow f (FIG. 7) effecting the cooperation of aforward portion 66 of the lower face of the lever 51 with the plate 32which causes the upward movement of the pin 44 thereby releasing thenose from the opening 19 or catch and allowing the separation of thebuckle parts, i.e. the opening of the belt.

But besides this manner of actuation, an actuation which assures thetranslatory movement of the lever 51 in a direction indicated in FIG. 8or in the other direction indicated in FIG. 9, parallel to thelongitudinal axis of the buckle body, assures by the cooperation of theends of the axis of pin 44 with either the inclined surfaces 54 or 55the upward movement of the pin 44, thereby the release of the nose 21from the aperture 19, thus permitting the opening of the belt.

Also a force exerted against the rear portion of the lever 51 in theopposite direction to that shown by the arrow f, by swinging the saidlever about its solid angle passing through points 62, directly movesthe pin upwardly (FIG. 10), which rests in the apices 56 of thetriangular slots 45, 46 ans assures the release of the nose 20 of latch21 from the aperture 19 and therefore permits the opening of the belt.

In an alternative embodiment the lateral portions of the lever 51instead of having a passage with two inclined portions have a slot witha single inclined surface. In FIG. 11 a slot 71 is shown having a singleinclined surface 72 which assures the release of the latch from thecatch casing.

In FIG. 12 is shown a passage 73 of triangular shape with a singleinclined surface 74 having a slope opposite to the inclined surface 72.A buckle provided with such a slot may be opened by translatory movementof the lever relative to the catch casing in the direction from left toright in FIG. 12.

For assuring a definite rest position of the pin 44 as well as forproviding a hard passage point upon translatory actuation of the lever51, the buckle preferably has a slight cut-out or notch (FIG. 13) in oneor both of the inclined surfaces in the lateral portions of the leverand at the end(s) thereof adjacent to the rest position of the pin 44.

Such a notch in the inclined surface may also be provided when theinclined surface is of cirvilinear configuration as shown in FIG. 14instead of the rectilinear configuration as in the previous embodiment.

In the embodiments previously described a closing of the buckle ispossible even if, during the simultaneous moving of the two buckle partsor members relative to each other, the operator holds the lever owing tothe freedom of movement allowed by the pin 44 in the slots such as 45,46, 71 and 73 perpendicular to the sliding direction. 1

In other embodiments in which this feature is not desired the passagesprovided for the pin 44 in the lateral portions of the lever 51 areformed by grooves whose dimension transverse to the direction of slidingis substantially that of the diameter of the pin 44.

Reference will now be made to FIGS. 1526 concerning another embodiment.I

The safety-belt buckle comprises in this embodiment a buckle body (FIG.15) comprising the assembly ofa casing 101 and a plate 102 (FIGS. 22 and23), constituting body members, in which is pivotally mounted a latch103.

The casing preferably comprises an assembly of two shells 106 and 107,for example of plastics material, of which the first is formed as agenerally rectangular flat plate with the longitudinal sides such as 108(FIG. 16 having retaining portions along a portion of which are providedhousings 109 for receiving resilient means, for example springs 110. Anopening 119 is constituted by shells 106, 107, as will be explained inmore detail later.

The shell 107 is generally trough-shaped and comprises a planar portionor cover 111 in which is pro vided a central opening 112 and obliquelateral walls 113 and 114.

In the lateral longitudinal walls as well as in the rear lateral wallsof the shells 106 and 107 are provided tongue means with shouldersadapted to cooperate with the mating openings as schematicallyillustrated at 115, 116 and 117 (FIG. 16) for fixing the shells to oneanother in order to form the casing 101 having in addition to theopening 112 in the cover 111 an opening 118 in the rear wall and aforward cover.

The base of the shell 106, as shown schematically at 120, supports meansfor fixing to said shell of the latch support plate 102 having a forwardportion 140 offset relative to the rest of the plate and bordered by twolateral arms 141 and 142. The plate 102 comprises means for securing thesafety-belt to the buckle it is intended to be fitted, an aperture 104for receiving a strap 105, cable or the like, a mounting aperture 121for a rear portion 123 of the latch 103, an aperture 124 between theapertures 104 and 121 for hooking a generally Z- shaped leaf spring 125whose upper leg 126 (in the Figures) rests on an upper flat surface 127of the solid block forming the latch 103. A rectangular aperture 143arranged in the portion of the plate 102 contributes to the positioningof the latch support plate relative to the lower shell 106 by a rib 144.

The latch 103 with a nose has at the interconnection of its upper face127 with its front face 128 a seating portion 129 for a pin 130 havingends extending beyond the lateral faces such as 122 (FIG. 16) of thelatch which are received in slots 131 and 132 in parallel arms 133 and134 of an actuating lever 135 or control member (FIGS. 20 and 21).

The arms 133 and 134 are spaced apart a distance which is very slightlygreater than that separating the lateral faces of the latch and areconnected to their rear upper portion by a flat or cross-member 136,each of the arms having at the connection of a lower edge 137 and a rearoblique edge 138 a rounded portion 139 projecting relative to the edge137. The lever 135 is pivotally mounted on the latch support plate 102by these rounded portion.

With the buckle body 100 comprising the casing with shells 106 and 107,the latch support plate 102 and the actuating lever 135 are adapted tocooperate with a buckle body 150 (FIGS. 17 and 18) comprising a plate151 in which is provided an opening or catch 152 for receiving the nose145 of the latch 103. The buckle body 150 may be either fixed directlyto an anchoring point of the safety belt on the vehicle on which it isfitted or connected to the said belt by a strip, cable or the like, forexample, a flexible or non-flexible arm.

The thickness of the plate 151 is slightly less than the distanceseparating the upper surface of the offset portion 140 of the latchsupport plate 102 from the lower face of the lateral arms 141 and 142 ofthe said plate,

the position of the opening being such that in the closed position ofthe buckle it is in line with the nose 145 when an edge 153 of thisplate 151 is in abutment against a step 154 arranged at the connectionof the offset portion 140 of the latch support plate 102 and the plateper se.

The operation of the buckle according to this embodiment is as follows:

Starting from the closed position of the buckle shown in FIG. 17, aforce is exerted in the direction of the arrow p on the cross-member 136of the lever 135 which then pivots in the direction of the arrowf(FIG.19) being supported by the projections 139 on the arms 133 and 134 onthe latch support plate 102 which causes the upward movement of the pin130 and thus the nose 145 of the latch which is released from opening orcatch 152 permitting the separation of the first and second buckle partsand thus the opening the buckle.

This separation of the two parts of the buckle is preferably effected byresilient means 110 previously put under tension on the closing of thebuckle by cooperation with the said edge 153 of the plate 151 on whichis provided the catch 152.

As soon as the two parts of the buckle are separated, the spring 125effects the swinging of the latch 103 and the lever following a movementin the direction opposite to that shown in FIG. in which the flatportion 136 of the lever 135 is under the opening 112 substantiallyparallel to the upper cover face 111 of the shell 107. The nose 145 ofthe latch 103 is then partially engaged in the aperture of the latchsupport plate.

By closing of the buckle the plate 152 is positioned opposite theopening 119 which the shells 106 and 107 provide, then displacedrelative to the buckle body 100 with a movement along the direction ofthe arrow l; the edge 153 of the plate then cooperates with the bevelledface 160 of the latch for effecting the swinging thereof in thedirection of the arrow f as well as re-tensioning the spring means 110.When the catch 152 is in line with the latch the spring 125 returns itto the closed posrtion.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 24 and 25, the resilient meanseffecting the automatic opening of the buckle upon pressing on the pushbutton in the opening provided in the casing are not disposed laterallybut are arranged in the centre of the casing and a latch support plate183. The latch support plate 183 has at its forward portion two lateralarms and 181 offset relative to its body 182. Under the portion of thebody 182 between the two arms 180 and 181 is arranged a spring, 186, inthe illustrated example a leaf spring whose ends are hookedsubstantially in line with the connection of the arms 180 and 181 to thebody 182 on two lugs 184 and 185. A hole 187 is provided for fixing theplate to an element of the safety belt that the buckle is intended to befitted with, for example a semi-rigid section, a cable with crimpedferrules, a steel blade or the like.

In a modification shown in FIG. 26 the resilient means urging theseparation of the parts of the buckles relative to each other comprisesa C-shaped leaf spring 188 placed at the center of the casing and thelatch support plate and having arms 189 and 190 with inwardly curved endportions facing the place in which the catch is arranged.

The spring 188 is maintained in position by lugs 191 192 and 193provided on the latch support plate or one of the shells forming thecasing of the buckle body which houses the latch.

What I claim is:

1. A safety-belt buckle comprising, in combination, a plate-like firstbody member having a window formed therein for sliding movement in asecond body member so as to be positively joined therewith; a plateintegral with one of said body members, having therein a passage limitedby an edge; a solid latch having a head portion adapted to penetrateinto said window and a tail portion, the latter being lodged in saidpassage and mounted for pivotal movement by cooperation of said tailportion with said edge; a spring carried by said plate, which constantlyurges said latch into a position corresponding to the closing of thebuckle and which also urges said tail portion against said edge; amanually movable control member for opening the buckle by separatingsaid body members when said control member is actuated by depressionthereof; the latter having two end portions and a pivoting edge betweensaid end portions, for cooperation with said plate; pivot means on saidcontrol member for said head portion, said latter being separated fromsaid plate when one of said end portions of the control member, which isopposite said pivot means in respect of said pivoting edge, isselectively brought close to said plate and is removed therefrom; acasing wherein said plate, said latch and said control member arelodged, said casing being open at one of its ends for introducingtherein said first body member, said casing having a face substantiallyin parallel to said plate, remote therefrom and provided with anopening, and a surface portion of said control member being disposed inalignment with said opening within said casing, said control memberbeing pivotable about said pivoting edge upon said surface portion beingdepressed so as to open said buckle; and spring means housed in saidcasing tensioned by said sliding movement, said spring meansautomatically effecting the separation of said body members upon saidcontrol member being depressed.

2. A buckle as claimed in claim 1, said pivoting edge of the controlmember being formed at the juncture of member in alignment with saidopening of the casing face extending parallel to said plate.

4. A buckle as claimed in claim 1, said plate including a terminalportion which is offset with respect to the remainder of said plate,said terminal portion being bordered, along the longitudinal extensionof said plate, by two paws which extend the length of the remainder ofsaid plate.

1. A safety-belt buckle comprising, in combination, a plate-like firstbody member having a window formed therein for sliding movement in asecond body member so as to be positively joined therewith; a plateintegral with one of said body members, having therein a passage limitedby an edge; a solid latch having a head portion adapted to penetrateinto said window and a tail portion, the latter being lodged in saidpassage and mounted for pivotal movement by cooperation of said tailportion with said edge; a spring carried by said plate, which constantlyurges said latch into a position corresponding to the closing of thebuckle and which also urges said tAil portion against said edge; amanually movable control member for opening the buckle by separatingsaid body members when said control member is actuated by depressionthereof; the latter having two end portions and a pivoting edge betweensaid end portions, for cooperation with said plate; pivot means on saidcontrol member for said head portion, said latter being separated fromsaid plate when one of said end portions of the control member, which isopposite said pivot means in respect of said pivoting edge, isselectively brought close to said plate and is removed therefrom; acasing wherein said plate, said latch and said control member arelodged, said casing being open at one of its ends for introducingtherein said first body member, said casing having a face substantiallyin parallel to said plate, remote therefrom and provided with anopening, and a surface portion of said control member being disposed inalignment with said opening within said casing, said control memberbeing pivotable about said pivoting edge upon said surface portion beingdepressed so as to open said buckle; and spring means housed in saidcasing tensioned by said sliding movement, said spring meansautomatically effecting the separation of said body members upon saidcontrol member being depressed.
 2. A buckle as claimed in claim 1, saidpivoting edge of the control member being formed at the juncture ofrespective portions of said control member, one of said portionsextending parallel to said plate, and the other of said portions beinginclined with respect to said plate.
 3. A buckle as claimed in claim 1,said control member comprising two arms extending at both sides of saidlatch, opposing ends of said arms carrying said pivot means, and a crossmember connecting said opposing ends, said cross member having anelongated portion forming said depressable surface portion of thecontrol member in alignment with said opening of the casing faceextending parallel to said plate.
 4. A buckle as claimed in claim 1,said plate including a terminal portion which is offset with respect tothe remainder of said plate, said terminal portion being bordered, alongthe longitudinal extension of said plate, by two paws which extend thelength of the remainder of said plate.